With glazed eyes and donuts, stoners and their future treatment counselors join together in mutual admiration forthe Addiction/Recovery eBulletin!

"It is addicting," moaned, Sally F., well-known recovering person who had to ask her sponsor and her Recovery Coach if reading our weekly ebulletin counted as a slip or a teddy. "I get so excited reading it, I think it is the latter." she silently confided loudly in public.Who can blame her? Well, probably millions according to a new study that shows people are prejudicedagainst people with use/misuse/overuse problems regarding drugs other than caffeine and nicotine.Yep, deny them job opportunities, housing, and even want to deny them their Federal or State aid. Details here!Breaking Bad is being blamed for a 400% increase in Meth smuggling in the EU...and the Three Stooges are being blamed for slapping, no doubt. All this and more --- including ....PRAISE FOR THIS eBulletin!

Another example of Leonard Buschel's enthusiasm is the Addiction/ Recovery eBulletin. What started out a year and a half ago as his own personal selection of good reading material now goes out to 14,000 people every week. By gathering as many new and unique stories from around the web on the topic of addiction and recovery, Mr. Buschel hopes to bring either "something you want to talk to your husband about at dinner or something a drug counselor can print out as a reference at their treatment center."

With
all of these things taken into consideration, they still found that the
risk of death during the course of the study was 41 percent higher for
the people who felt older than for the people who felt younger. (The
mortality rate was slightly higher for those who felt close to their actual age, but the difference wasn't big enough to be statistically significant.) CONTINUED @ SFgatecom

Germans On Speed Again? Oy Vey

Breaking Bad Blamed For Shocking Rise In Crystal Meth Usage in the Fatherland

The
shocking rise in crystal meth usage across the UK and Europe could be
down to the influence of hit TV show Breaking Bad, a leading academic
has warned. Germany in particular has seen the highest surge in usage of
the Class-A drug reporting a worrying rise of 51 per cent. The European
Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction
has revealed how parts of the EU are now being flooded with
methamphetamine. In Britain alone border patrols have seen a surge in
attempts to smuggle crystal meth into the country rise by 400 per cent
in the past year. CONTINUED @ TheTelegraph.com.uk

Healing NOT Jailing VIDEO

A Cry for Compassion In Treating Addiction VIDEO

In
his award-winning book, "In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts: Close
Encounters with Addiction," Dr. Gabor Maté explains the origins of
addiction as being rooted in trauma and calls for a more
compassionate approach toward the addict. Maté spoke with CBS News. He
says, "All addiction is an escape from pain. All addictions come from
emotional loss, and exist to soothe the pain resulting from that loss."
ALSO: Vicky Dulai personally witnessed the failure of the criminal justice system to rehabilitate drug offenders... CONTINUED @ CBSnews.com

New Insights with Dr. Gabor Maté VIDEO

Conversation About Addiction with Gabor Maté and Arold Langeveld VIDEO

The
story of Santa and his flying reindeer can be traced to an unlikely
source: hallucinogenic or "magic" mushrooms, according to one theory.
"Santa is a modern counterpart of a shaman, who consumed mind-altering
plants and fungi to commune with the spirit world," said John Rush, an
anthropologist and instructor at Sierra College in Rocklin, Calif.

Three
months after a raid by federal and state authorities on a West Palm
Beach, Fla., recovery residence operator that subsequently went out of
business, federal investigators were back in Palm Beach County this
week. According to local recovery community leaders and local media
reports, the Federal Bureau of Investigation
(FBI) and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) on Dec. 17 visited two Delray
Beach locations of Real Life Recovery, which operates outpatient
treatment and sober living sites. CONTINUED @ AddictionPro.com

Imagination and Guts

The Greatest Creative Toolsof All

Another example of Leonard Buschel's enthusiasm is the Addiction/ Recovery eBulletin.
What started out a year and a half ago as his own personal selection of
good reading material now goes out to 14,000 people every week. By
gathering as many new and unique stories from around the web on the
topic of addiction and recovery, Mr. Buschel hopes to bring either
"something you want to talk to your husband about at dinner or something
a drug counselor can print out as a reference at their treatment center."CONTINUED @ SoberRecovery.com

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BRIDGES TO RECOVERY

More Will Be Revealed

Using the AA Slogans to Deal with Holiday Stress

But
somewhere along the way, I surrendered. My attitude and outlook on life
in recovery changed completely, and I began to embrace all the things I
so fiercely resisted in the beginning--meetings, fellowship,
sponsorship, and the truth about my condition. Over time, I even began
to embrace those annoying AA slogans. Today, I find that these simple
words of wisdom can help me through any situation in life, much less the
holidays. Here's how:CONTINUED @ Hazelden.org

Dear Johnny...Walker

A Goodbye Letter to My Old Lover - Alcohol

At
the party I fell over on the dance floor, ripping my tights. I bruised
my elbow and my ego. I cried in the toilets because the room was
spinning and I felt sick. On Christmas eve I argued with my brother as
he talked politics and I was too drunk to remember where I had hidden
the presents. I will never forget the way you ruined Christmas day. My
children's joy as they discovered their gifts was eclipsed by my
thudding brain consuming my existence, begging me not to lift it from
the pillow.CONTINUED @ The Guardian

MILESTONES RANCH MALIBU

SUMMER HOUSE DETOX

Facing the Facts

The Future of Treatment in Drug Policy: Stigma Remains a Serious Problem by James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy

Most
Americans do not view the behavior of people who use substances as a
purely medical problem. A 2013 survey of public attitudes about people
with drug addiction found respondents were significantly more likely to
endorse discriminatory policies (such as unequal access to employment
and housing), social exclusion and limited support (for government
spending on treatment, housing and other services) for people with drug
addiction than for people with other mental illnesses. A significant
majority of respondents (60 percent) believed treatment for addiction to
be ineffective, compared to a minority (40 percent) who held that view
for mental illness. CONTINUED @ BlogChron.com

And It's Not AA VIDEO

A New Prescription to End Drinking VIDEO

New
understanding of how alcohol affects the brain is prompting addiction
experts to make a push for using medications to help people quit or cut
down on excessive drinking. For years, treatment has meant 28 days of
rehab or a 12-step program. Success meant total abstinence. Only 1 in 10
of 17 million Americans with a drinking problem tried. There is also
growing recognition that alcohol problems come in wide varieties, driven
by a mix of genetics and life experiences in how the brain handles
stress and seeks rewards. CONTINUED @ Wall Street Journal

AUTHENTIC RECOVERY CENTER

HIS HOUSE

Treatment Work$

American Addiction To Buy Recovery First

American
Addiction Centers Inc, a subsidiary of AAC Holdings Inc (AAC), on
Monday agreed to buy Recovery First Inc, a Florida-based provider of substance abuse treatment
and rehabilitation services, for $13 million in cash. Recovery First
operates a 56-bed in-network, inpatient substance abuse treatment
facility in the greater Fort Lauderdale, Florida area which includes 20
licensed detoxification beds. Recovery First generates revenue of about
$7.3 million.CONTINUED @ Nasdaq.com

Counselors in the Trenches Get to Share

Oregon Addiction Counselors Say What Is Needed

More than 3,000 counselors work in addiction treatment
across Oregon and see up close how the system is working. Last fall,
they were invited to share their thoughts with The Oregonian,
distributed by the Addiction Counselor Certification Board of Oregon.
They responded with insights, recommendations and hope that Oregonians
would support improved addiction treatment. A months-long investigation
by The Oregonian discovered troubling failures in Oregon's addiction
treatment system. CONTINUED @ OregonLive.com

RECEIVE OUR WEEKLY EBULLETIN

VISIT OUR NEWSLETTER ARCHIVES

Woman's Conf. in Palm Springs, 1/24/2015

Erasing the Stigma of the Addictive Female

Enjoying
a few martinis with the guys at lunch and taking clients to dinner and
drinks had become routine. She traveled quite a bit for work, but
sometimes when she woke up in the morning she couldn't remember what
city she was in. At one point, Sally made a promise to herself that she
would never drink alone, but she soon found herself throwing a few back
at the hotel bar and picking up men just to pass the time. Until the
late former First Lady Betty Ford was brave enough to share the truth of
her drinking problem with the American people, there was no true face
of recovery. Mrs. Ford gave us that face, and today there are many who
follow in her brave footsteps. More at: 'The Beautiful Face of Recovery:
A Conference for Women,' on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2015, at the Desert
Princess Palm Springs Golf Resort. CONTINUED @ DesertSun.com

Left To Our Own Devices

Internet Addiction a Growing Problem

Though
not classified as a clinical disorder in the Diagnostic and Statistical
Manual of Mental Disorders, more and more people are starting to
recognize Internet addiction. Though many think it is not real, research
has shown that people with Internet addiction experience significant
changes in their brains. In most cases, the connections in the brain
that control attention, executive control and emotion processing are
altered. These are the same changes that occur in those addicted to
cocaine, heroin and other substances. CONTINUED @ TheTrumpet.com

Cult Within A Cult?

Narconon: The Church of Scientology's Secret Answer to Drug Rehabilitation

Former Narconon employees have claimed the organization has been used to convert people to Scientology. Last year, Lucas Catton, who stepped down as president of Narconon's Arrowhead facility in Oklahoma in 2004, told NBC news the Church of Scientology uses Narconon as a way to recruit new members - an allegation both the Church and Narconon deny.

Acamprosate,
known by the brand name Campral, works to stabilize glutamate and other
brain chemicals disrupted by long-term exposure to alcohol. That can
reduce the irritability, anxiety and cravings that accompany withdrawal
and can help people in recovery avoid relapsing, says the NIAAA's Dr.
Koob, a leading researcher in the neurobiology of emotion. CONTINUED @ WallStreetJournal.com

Double Down on Dopamine

Addicted to Games: What is a Gambling Addiction?

Psychologist
Susan Edgar knows firsthand how difficult it is to recognize the signs
and symptoms of a gambling addiction. Though a person may not be
physically ingesting an addictive substance, he or she is still getting
high, Edgar said. "When the gambler is in action it doesn't matter if
they are winning or losing. It's the doing that causes the dopamine
rush," she said. Answer the SIX Questions here... CONTINUED @ DelawareOnline.com

Into The Light VIDEO

Resiliency & Recovery by Jennifer Storm VIDEO

This
talk was given at a local TEDx event, produced independently of the TED
Conferences. Jennifer Storm, Pennsylvania's Victim Advocate, shares her
personal story of healing from sexual abuse, followed by
self-destructive drug and alcohol addiction, in "Resiliency &
Recovery.'' Her journey of recovery has resulted in a career dedicated
to helping other victims through public service.CONTINUED @ YouTube

Laughter Heals, So Does Honesty

Craig Ferguson Was My Sober Guiding Light

Someone
- I'm not sure who and maybe it was your aunt - has always told you
that nothing good ever happens after midnight. We all hear it at one
time or another. And, as a man who needed to give up drinking and
partying a long time ago, I've tried to take comfort in that familiar
adage on the rare but disconcerting occasion when my preference for a
tamer lifestyle has felt a little more like a preference for a lamer
lifestyle. CONTINUED @ Salon.com

Brooke
Shields is an old hand in showbiz. She started out as a child actor
managed by her mother, Teri Shields. And while the pair loved one
another deeply, as Shields recalled in both her memoir "There Was A
Little Girl" and on TODAY Wednesday, the biggest challenges for her as a
kid were wrapped up in her mother's addiction issues. "Hollywood didn't
undo me," she explained. "Being famous at a young age didn't really
undo me. Loving an alcoholic was sort of my emotional undoing to a
certain extent." CONTINUED @ Today.com

AA Goes to Court

Alcoholics Anonymous Fights Lawsuit by Murder Victim's Parents

Lawyers
representing Alcoholics Anonymous World Services Inc. are fighting a
wrongful-death lawsuit filed against the organization by the parents of
murder victim Karla Brada, claiming there is no basis for the lawsuit.
On Dec. 1, lawyers with the firm, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher &
From LLP, representing AA, filed two court motions to stop the lawsuit
before it goes any further.CONTINUED @ SignalSCV.com

Media: Children's Book for the Holidays

Baymo by Dr. Seth Kadish

"Baymo"
is the story of a young dog who longs for the freedom and excitement of
human life without comprehending the responsibility and worries that go
along with such a life. Through a bit of magic from Father Moon,
Baymo's wish comes true - he becomes a man - but his subsequent
misadventures teach him that being a man has its price. Excerpt:
But he was a man, a man, a man! Baymo was in a state of bliss, filled
with joy and radiant. He stood, he fell, he pushed himself back up
again. Tottered, veered, spun, teetering, toppling, a spinning top, out
of control, overcome with pleasure."Its clever story line weaves easily with its lovable characters. " - Lauren Wolff| CONTINUED @ Amazon.com

Just For Fun - Murray Christmas

Nine Christmas Movies That Are Kosher For Jewish Addicts

But
what about Christmas movies? They play a huge role in the pop culture
firmament, and some are very good. Should Jews avoid them like an Old
Testament plague, or is okay to get excited by some each year? Does
embracing holiday movies alleviate part of our seasonal displacement, or
reflect back on it? And what about the identity confusion of growing up
on specials like Rudolph and the original Grinch Who Stole Christmas,
fully aware that it's not your holiday being stolen? What is an
appropriate relationship between American Jews and the Christmas movies
so unavoidable this time of year?CONTINUED @ Decider.com

Indica in Indiana

Study To Look at Marijuana's Impact on Brain

Though
marijuana is the most commonly used illegal drug in the country, little
is definitively known about its impact on the brain. A study taking
place at Indiana University is designed to help change that. O'Donnell
noted that people who smoke a lot of marijuana in adolescence are at
increased risk later in life of developing schizophrenia. But "we don't
know whether marijuana smoking causes that. It might be that people who
are becoming mentally ill tend to smoke marijuana," he said. CONTINUED @ USAtoday.com

Higher Learning - No Booze Needed

Staying Sober: School Helps Students with Addictions

All
across the country, many schools are out for winter break and that
includes Hope Academy on the north side of Indianapolis. But the student
body of nearly 30 students share a unique and common bond: struggles
with sobriety. At the beginning and end of each week, the student body
meets in a circle to talk about living their live sober and the week's
challenges. "I learned it's better to completely remove yourself from a
toxic relationship than try to fix it," one student said while talking
about what he learned that week. CONTINUED @ WTHR.com

By: Scott Stevens
- Pharmacists routinely warn of huge dangers associated with combining
alcohol with medication. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and
Alcoholism (NIAAA) publication, Harmful Interactions: Mixing Alcohol
with Medicines, notes even moderate drinking has the potential to
interfere with hundreds of commonly used meds, including over the
counter and herbal remedies. Many popular pain medications - and cough,
cold, and allergy medications - contain more than one ingredient that
can adversely interact with alcohol. CONTINUED @ Examiner.com

Non-Alcoholic Egg Nog?

How Does an Alcoholic Navigate their First Sober Christmas?

Most
of us want to spend time with family over Christmas and usually that's
fine. But Christmas can put us under a lot of pressure and for people
who are just out of rehab, who are in early recovery, it can be
daunting. They tend to feel raw and vulnerable and if the family is not
supportive their recovery can be threatened. There could be a risk of
relapse. CONTINUED @ CastleCraig.com.uk

60 Minutes Report: U.S. Medical System

DENIED Watch VIDEO

When
insurance companies deny the mentally ill the treatment their doctors
prescribe, seriously ill people are often discharged, and can be a
danger to themselves or others. Scott Pelley reports. CONTINUED @ CBSnews.com

6th Annual Experience, Strength & Hope Award

Honoring Joe Pantoliano Feb.26 Los Angeles

With more than 100 film, television and stage credits to his name, Joey joined the cast of The Sopranos, and won an Emmy Award. He's also the author of Asylum,
his deeply moving and inspiring memoir. This Award is given in
recognition of an individual's honest addiction to recovery memoir. Also appearing: Ed Begley Jr. Comedian Mark Lundholm - Mackenzie Phillips &FOR MORE INFORMATION

WRITERS IN TREATMENT

Writers In Treatment

501 (c)(3) nonprofit

REEL
RECOVERY FILM FESTIVAL is a social, educational, networking and
recovery forum showcasing first-time filmmakers and experienced
professionals who make films about addiction and recovery. Our audience
is treatment professionals, people in recovery, members of the
entertainment industry, media representatives, educated moviegoers and
the general public.